Role Adoption and Decision Making: How Dutch Journalists Dealt with Misinformation during the Covid-19 Pandemic

Amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, misinformation complicated communication about the health crisis and posed unique challenges and a context of uncertainty for journalists. Understanding the adopted roles and decision-making process of professional journalists dealing with pandemic-related misinformation helps advancing the knowledge about journalism practice during complex scenarios characterized by uncertainty and prevailing misinformation. Using reconstructive interviews with 15 Dutch journalists, we have observed that the facilitator and civic service roles were frequently adopted, especially during the first months, in which the lack of scientific consensus and uncertainty heightened public demand for information. In hindsight, journalists expressed self-criticism, wishing they had more rigorously adopted a watchdog role to scrutinize government actions. Journalists recognize the risk of paying attention to misinformation, as it could spread further amongst their audiences, but believe it is their duty to address it when it is widespread or has the potential to significantly impact society. The selection of which misinformation cases to tackle is based on newsworthiness, but also on arguments such as reducing the spread of conspiracy theories. The study provides new insights into journalistic roles and practices during public health crises and offers lessons for future journalism, especially in reflecting on the rally-around-the-flag phenomenon.